Waiting for daylight
by TheAbsentElement
Summary: pg-13 so far. maybe R later. not AU. Set 4 years after Tenchi In Tokyo.
1. Default Chapter

Prologue  
  
Gentle rays of afternoon sun caressed the glassy surface of the small lake near the Masaki shrine, reflecting a crystalline blue sky. A soft breeze blew through the long, summer grass, causing it to dance to a tune only the earth could hear. Insects droned lazily from flower to flower as the suns rays played off their backs. It was a quiet summer day, and a beautiful one at that. Tenchi sat on the steps to the shrine enjoying that beauty, smiling gently and sighing in content as he brought his face to the sky, reveling in the warmth it provided. The same warm breeze blew through the trees of the forest, ruffling his red t-shirt and plain tan slacks, his short hair taking the same steps as the grass had.  
  
He couldn't believe it had been 4 years already. 4 years since their adventures in Tokyo, and their fight against Yugi.  
  
A part of Tenchi had gone missing since that day, a part of him unrequited to an emotion he could not keep under the surface. One name had stayed on his mind since that day, and that one name was his only wish, if ever he had one.  
  
Sighing again, this time in emotional exhaustion, Tenchi began his ascent to the shrine grounds, broom in hand.  
  
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/ */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*  
  
A single light emanated from a floating control panel in the middle of a dark chamber. Here a woman with long, unruly red hair and inquisitive green eyes sat, her fingers dancing across the panel in a formation only she knew. A red dot appeared on the screen she was looking at, which momentarily caught her attention. Her eyes narrowed as she read the inscription carefully, but they widened more than before when she realized what this meant.  
  
"She's up." She murmured into the gloom. 


	2. Never that simple

Everyone fears writer's block, but none I suspect more than I. I happen to contract this condition for months at a time, and in that time my resolve and my optimism for future endeavors slips further and further. I apologize for the delay in my update.  
  
I would also like to make something clear right now, this is not in fact purely the Tenchi in Tokyo Universe; this is the Tenchi Muyo universe in which Tenchi goes to Tokyo after the end of the OAV.  
  
Chapter 1:  
  
Resurrection of the Heart  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()() ()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()() Can't seem to recognize,  
That stare behind those eyes...  
Who is this man I see..?  
Who's looking back at me? Can't focus through grey,  
And I am fading into nothing...  
Reflection must get clearer than it appears to be right  
now... ()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()() ()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
Tenchi stood at the top of the stone steps of the Masaki shrine, gazing longingly into the sky, lit a beautiful golden shade from the dying afternoon sunlight. Time spent in somber reflection had whittled away the hours of the day. He seemed to be doing that quite a bit for the past four years, looking to the sky as if beseeching the heavens themselves, asking for the one thing that mattered to him to return.  
  
He had given his heart to her, and just as quickly as she came she was ripped from his grasp like a leaf to the winter wind.  
  
Judging by the time that had passed Tenchi surmised that it must be about dinner time. Picking up the broom that lay against a nearby tree, Tenchi made his way back to the Masaki home.  
  
"Tenchi?"  
  
The broom that rested so surely in Tenchi's grip fell onto the shrine steps with a clatter, and all at once his heart and throat seemed to be occupying the same space.  
  
A soft hand entwined its fingers with his.  
  
Time stood still.  
  
Ryoko stretched tiredly from her perch on the roof of the Masaki home, letting the warmth of the sun soak through her clothing and caress her back; soberly she stared at the horizon where the golden-tipped trees met the setting sun. The events that had transpired throughout the last four years had been a cruel blow to the normally cheery Masaki family. Tenchi's depression had taken it's toll on everyone, never showing his face unless he had to, practicing for hours on his swordplay or developing his innate Jurai power and hardly speaking unless spoken to...  
  
It had even reached the point where Ayeka had given up...  
  
It was true. After about a year of Tenchi being the way he was, the crown princess of Jurai could no longer stand it. She left Earth one day with barely a goodbye to anyone. Sasami of course refused to leave, she had grown attached to this planet and even went as far as to forsake the decreased aging effects of Jurai's trees and water, growing up along with the people she cared about.  
  
'Come to think of it, she didn't even show up when Sasami merged with Tsunami.' Ryoko thought grimly  
'I doubt she'd even recognize her own sister now'  
  
'Gods Tenchi, do you see what you're doing to us? All of us?'  
  
Ryoko checked herself then, Tenchi had suffered greatly for the sake of their safety and happiness, and it pained her to think of balming him for his current state.  
  
'Well, he did suffer a lot... And it's not like I lost the one I loved to some mysterious girl who appeared out of nowher-' Ryoko stopped short.  
  
'Now that's Ironic'  
  
If anyone had been listening outside near the Masaki home, they would have heard a short, humorless bark of laughter.  
  
Followed by sobs. 


	3. Awake and Dreaming

Chapter 2: Awake and Dreaming - Take a photograph.  
It will be the last.  
Not a dollar or a crowd could ever keep me here.  
I don't have a past.  
I just have a chance.  
Not a family or honest plea remains to say:  
Rain, Rain go away, come again some other day... All the world is waiting for the sun-  
Tenchi's body went rigid, his breathing became irregular as his mind began to register the unmistakable warmth that was her hand as it entwined itself with his. Suddenly he was afraid to turn around. Afraid that if he did, she would just disappear. Ripped from him for a second time. It was too much to hope for, too much to take in. It wasn't possible.  
Then she spoke again.  
"Tenchi..." Her voice was uncertain, but filled with longing.  
Finally, Tenchi turned.  
There she stood, as radiantly beautiful as ever. Alabaster skin contrasting deeply with raven black hair, eyes like emerald pools, full of warmth and acceptance but shadowed with uncertainty. Even her simple outfit of a black long-sleeved sweater and pants seemed to be spun of the finest heavenly silks to Tenchi as he stared intently, as if afraid taking his eyes off of her would this dream.  
The two stared at each other for what seemed an eternity as Tenchi's breath began to slow and even out, his mind began working once more and he found he could breathe her perfect name.  
"Sakuya."  
The distance between them was closed on unspoken accord as Tenchi suddenly burst into the first real smile he had given to anyone in 4 years. Wasting no time he grasped her by the waist with both hands bringing her face up to his and sealing his lips with hers. Sakuya reacted immediately, giving a brilliant smile of her own before throwing her arms around Tenchi's neck and returning the kiss in kind.  
For both it was as if the rest of the world were melting away, touch, sight, smell and sound; all these senses filled with nothing but each other, all that mattered was now, all that really existed was the other. An eternity consisting of but a few seconds passed this way, both unwilling to relent as they pressed flush against each other, pouring every lonely night, every ounce of regret into their kiss. But finally the need for oxygen by the human body won out, and they parted for air.  
Tenchi looked down into Sakuya's eyes in wonder as they regained their breath.  
"You're... really here." he breathed.  
Sakuya just smiled and traced his lips with one of her fingers before laying her head against his chest, content just to listen to his heartbeat.  
"Of course I'm here silly." she murmured, nuzzling him.  
"But... you're not staying." It wasn't really so much a question as a statement. Tenchi knew that what they had wouldn't last, and that Yugi couldn't project her shadow forever.  
Sakuya sighed a bit before looking up at him through pained eyes.  
"Just... hold me for a while, ok?"  
Tenchi bent down slightly to tenderly kiss her forehead, bringing her down with him as he sat down on the old shrine steps. Their embrace deepened, and they spent the rest of the day that way holding on to each other as if afraid the world might just slip away at any moment, watching the last rays of the sun as the shadows of early evening pushed them away. Twilight gloom had settled deeply within the loosely knit trees of the forest where a small stream ran steadily through, the waters lapping lightly at the basket holding a large, ripe watermelon. Sasami sat here. Or rather, what was now Sasami. The transformation into Tsunami was taking place, slowly but surely she was beginning to develop into the woman she had seen in her reflection at the old bath house. It didn't scare her, no, Tsunami had always been a part of her to some extent, she was simply becoming more a part of the being that was both Tsunami and Sasami. But it did make her sad to know that nobody really noticed, they were too busy or depressed to pay any attention to her current state. She was just the chef of the house, no more no less.  
A sigh escaped her lips as her gaze fixed itself on the waters of the stream as they pushed inexorably upon the fruit suspended in it. Slowly she felt her eyelids begin to droop as a calm, relaxation overtook her body.  
The sudden breaking of a twig behind her snapped her out of her reverie, swinging her head around to confirm the source of the sound she gasped.  
"Hello Sasami." The cockpit was pitch dark, only a single point of illumination -a viewing screen- was visible.  
"I've arrived." A voice from within the cockpit.  
"Good. Your next target is this girl." Another voice, this one coming from the comm screen.  
"Acknowledged. What is the name?" The voice seemed distant... robotic.  
"Princess Sasami of the Jurai royal family."  
If anyone else had been paying attention to this conversation, they would have noticed the almost imperceptible pause before the voice in the cockpit spoke again.  
"Objectives clear. Proceeding." 


End file.
